Mr Wrong
by IrisatinetheVain
Summary: A sonic related thingy. Meet my badass mystery character as she goes on a journey to not only find what's in herself, but helps Mephiles and Cream see what they can be capable of. Plus some cameos!
1. chapter 1: Emptiness

**Prologue For: Mr. Wrong**

**A sonic related thingy. Meet my badass mystery character as she goes on a journey to not only find what's in herself, but helps others see what their capable of also. **

_I lay, undisturbed, within my home. My home, that is if you want to call it that, is a giant purple crystal. It hovers just above Hell yet within the earth. I have to admit, it is pretty comfortable here, you, know, for being Hell. I am a demoness and would like to consider myself a uh, lesser evil. I've been lying in wait here for what? Hundred years? I'm starting to get a bit antsy. But...wait a minute...someone dreams of releasing me! I see in a man's dream how his lust for an unobtainable power will set me free. *pause* Mephiles... We will soon meet again. But just the thought of what you did last time fills me with such a hatred for you... *mercury flames lash violently at the earth around her, scorching the dirt* But still, I want to hold you close. You will either submit to me and become mine... or burn in a grave of your own making. Why don't you dream of me anymore...?_


	2. Chapter 2: Old Acquaintances

Mephiles slowly recollected his thoughts as he drifted across the wasteland. As he approached a spot he chose for his portal to Crisis City, he saw that he had an unexpected visitor. "OOOOOWHOWHOWHO!" Eggman laughed as he was preparing his dastardly plan. "Move it you mechanical morons! I want those crystals!" He ordered, smoothing his mustache. "Yes doctor" the robots automatically droned on. Eggman? What does he want with MY crystals?! Mephiles angrily thought, closing his fist and creating a purple pulsating darkness orb. "That's it get it all set up before that blue hegehog comes!" Eggman said as he leaned back in his Egg Carrier. "Just be careful with them when the surface." "Eggman..." Mephiles threateningly growled. Eggman paled at the sound of the demon's voice. "W-well hello, M-mephiles. Ha, why are you here?" He nervously questioned Mephiles, now in crystal form. "I was just about to ask you the same thing." He stated darkly. "Last time I checked, this is where I reside." Eggman, stuttering, said "You see I need to borrow some strange yet powerful crystals I descovered that are buried here. They have immense power and I need them for my lasted creation. They aren't blue so I'm assuming the're not yours." he grinned wickedly. " ' . Your still on my land." He said as wisps of darkness gathered around him, lashing at the air, giving it a smell of death. "I think I've already made it clear enough I don't want guests." "M-Mephiles listen!" Eggman pleaded. "I just want the crystal, then I'll be gone. Give me five minutes!" He saw he was having no effect on the now seething Mephiles, muttering some arcane language. Before he knew it, mephiles darkness tentacles had ripped apart his robots, left his machines melting in some black goo, and shot a hole clear through his Egg Carrier. "Now look what you've done you babbling fool!" Eggman screamed. "And to think I was gonna be nice and share it's power with you." He frowned. "How dumb do you think I am... Doctor?" Mephiles tauntingly said as he floated closer and closer to a petrified Eggman. "I manipulate mortals all the time. Did you really think you could use my craft against me...?" He demonically whispered. He turned those big undead eyes to look Eggman right in his. eggman shivered. Oh how Eggman wanted to leave this brooding demon alone. Seeing her chance, she began to sing. The song was soft and delicate, but Mephiles was immune. Eggman on the other hand, fell for the seductive tunes. He watched from the sidelines as Eggman became...possesed? No that couldn't be... he thought. Only other demons canhave that power. Really STRONG demons..."He then wondered if he wasn't the only one on the Top World as well. He became curious. A helpless Eggman was forced to do the song's bidding. He revved up his digging and claw machine and got to work. A half hour passed untill the harmonious clink of a crystal against metal was heard. Eggman brought up the foreign object and yanked it to the surface. Suddenly, Sonic and Shadow rushed in and broke the claw off the contraption. Where now a giant purple crystal with a dark and silver energy stood. "Maaan Egghead you never stop do you?" Sonic asked as he smiled over the victory. "I supposed we shouldn't have arrived any later either." Shadow said, going back to crossing his arms over his chest. Eggman, still "under the influence", just stared at them with glowing...violet eyes? "huh?" asked Sonic and Shadow in unisen. staring confusedly at Eggman and the crystal. "...It's...her" Mephiles involuntarily said. Captivated by his three times lover's dark beauty. Sonic and Shadow spin around to come face to face with Mephiles. Mephiles started to act nervous and excited. "Who's her? All I see is a crystal... :/" Sonic asked. Mephiles, ignoring the fool, gazed in awe and floated closer to the crystal. Running his clawed hand across it. Then he did something that surprised both himself and the others. He...he deeply purred. "Her..." Now he was clearly under the spell. Sonic and shadow just watched the scene play out. Mephiles, now in reaching distance of our mystery character, a diamond tipped hand burst out from the crystal and roughly grabbed his chest while silver demon eyes glared at him into HIS aura.. 


	3. Chapter 3: Rivalry and Romance

Mephiles felt heat. An unbearable amount of heat right where his heart was. It seemed to pierce right into his aura. He struggled under her claws, trying to pull away. Her hand tried grabbing at his crystalline quills but swiping the air instead. Mephiles turned into a dark vapor and reappeared unknowingly by Shadow's side.

"Mephiles who is that?" Sonic asked, frightened that even Mephiles looked nervous about her.

Mephiles simply said, "My ex girlfriend."

Sonic and Shadow looked at each other in surprise.

"You...had a girlfriend?" Shadow asked.

_sigh._"three times in the past hundred years we've went out. I'll say no more."

"Alright man we won't push." Sonic said, rubbing the back of his head. "so uh..."

...

"She seems pissed." Shadow said.

"I already know"

*Clawed hands burst from the crystal and split it in two. A slender form of a female porcupine appears. She looks about 18 but is older than what she appears. Light and dark fur that glows dimly is seen as gorgous full quills spill down her back. Rock and silver butterfly-like wings protrude from her back as three crystalline scopion tails curl over her head. Like Meph, she has no mouth but stunning silver eyes*

"Mephiles?" She whispers. "I missed you." Reaching towards her other.

"I thought the Light Cult killed you. but all this time you were safely asleep under my feet." He said, still wary to approach.

"No." she shook her head. "I escaped through a portal and sealed myself inside a crystal. I just needed to be awakened."

She looked at the other two hedgehogs beside Mephiles and said "Oh! Are these two mortals your friends? I never introduced myself. I am Irisatine the Vain, but Iris is fine." She curtesied in her tattered animal skin dress.

"I'm S-Sonic. Thats Shadow." Sonic introduced himself nervously. Shadow just nodded.

"I see. so your who the've been talking about."

"They?"

"The other demons. From the Flame Core." Sha explained.

"...Is that good?" Shadow asked, crossing his arms.

"Eh, not really."

"Oh..."

"Other demons? how many?" Sonic asked.

"Oh thousands." She said. "But most will all be too weak to escape. So they gossip amoungst themselves."

_Great. There are more of these creeps._Thought Shadow.

" I almost forgot why I was mad at you but not quite Mephiles the Dark." Iris said as she picked him up by the neck and held him against the wall. "Why did you stop dreaming about me? Did you not see the signs I was alive?" She said.

Mephiles, getting into the swing of her old behaviors again, stated " I was about to move on. But I knew something was unsettling me so I chose to think about it. I FELT something usually, but never saw. The best I could do was go back in time and watch those memories roll by."

Iris nuzzled her muzzle against his ear, nose toughing his. "Well you made me think you just forgot that we were. I became nervous that I had lost you for good." Mephiles wiggled.

"You make intimancy seem frightening you know. Can you put me down?"

"I know. It's on purpose." She said, eyes going up as if she was smiling. Giving him some butterfly kisses. then she dropped him with a *plump!*

Mephiles got up and glared at her, Iris continued to "smile."

Sonic and Shadow slinked away, leaving the two to do whatever it was demons did and skeedadled.

"So...aren't you going to invite me to your home?"

"fine." Mephiles said as he and Iris drifted across the forever dead earth back to his lair.

Mephiles wasn't stupid and kept his little cave shrouded in a thick darkness so all who came didn't see anything. He waved his hands and like moses, the darkness parted and revealed a jagged cave enterance, surrounded by all this impaled victims. He and Iris entered the lair while his blue crystals faintly glowed on the wall. Both creatures of darkness didn't need light to see anyways.

"I like your humble abode." Iris said, running her fingers across the crystals.

Mephiles would have **SLAUGHTERED**anyone else who was dumb enough to touch his things, but Iris was different in so many ways. All of which he adored. He watched as she bound the animal and human bones together, making funiture for his home.

"Maybe, one day, you could live in a castle of your crystals, with thousands of servants, and a whole world to obey your whims. Maybe even a compainion?" She said/asked with sincerity, making a table.

'Maybe.." Mephiles answered. Observing her handiwork and skill and crafting. he missed watching her do things like this. "you know you can stay with me for as long as you like."

"I had a feeling you would say that, Mephiles."

eyes connected to one another's, hearts starting to race. Mephiles broke then neverending gaze and Iris sat down. dipping her toe claw into the bathing pool. Mephiles took a steading breath and drifted over to the side of Iris. He tentativley sat down beside her. They sat in silence for awhile, side by side. After what seemed like a lifetime, Iris slipped into the water.

"join me...please..."

Mephiles, not really expecting this, quickly nodded and jumped in beside her.

She tenderly rubbed her hands up his chest and massaged his spiky chest fluff.

"i really missed you."

"I really missed you too" He said through deep purrs. Stroking her sharp and and beautiful quills.

"If you would...could you stay in crystalline form? i think you look more like yourself." she asked.

"Of course love." He said. Transforming into a living crystal again, the power of the darkness the pulsed through him traveled through her fingers, sending chills down her spine.

_mmm mephy_she thought. _I forgot about how hot you truley were._

Mephiles then brought her into a kiss. Deep and passionate. They moaned with pleasure.

"Let's make up for lost time" he whispered, pressing himself closer to her. "And Happy Valentine's Day."

"Happy Valentine's Day, Mephy." she said as he pulled her out of the cold water and into the blissful darkness


	4. Chapter 4: Natural Balance

_**Iris' POV**_

_I don't know how long me and Mephiles have been holed up inside his cave. The last time I looked up it was morning, and now its almost night. My dreamy demon was lying across my lap staring into the crystal chandelier I made. I though it'd be nice to arrange the screams accordingly to sound like music. Mephiles seemed happy that I did so because everytime it played, he got turned on._

_**END**_

"Mephy, how long have we been in here?" I ask, wrapping my tails around his legs.

"I don't know. Feels like hours but it has to have been days." He replied, those toxic eyes looking at me.

"That's true. time flys when you have fun." I smirk, not wanting to brake the gaze we hold.

"mmmm...yeah." He says, stroking my tails. "I think I need Choas soon though."

"And I souls." I say. "Wonder where to go..."

"Well darling you have the best tour guide around. I'll show you all the places where I usually feed." He bows, then holds out his hand.

"Sounds good to me."

Mephiles and Iris get dressed as he opened up a portal to the dark streets of the city. Iris teasingly poked his chest and hoped through.

"Hey!" Mephiles said angrily, "I'm showing you!"

They wandered around town for hours, enjoying each other's company and scaring whoever was curious enough to approach. One terrified mother, clutching her child, ran into a dead end.

"Leave us alone!" She yelled as Mephiles approached her, doing his zombie walk.

"Yes, scream for your life. For soon you will all too knowingly understand silence. Let the dark consume you." He said as he crept closer, wisps of darkness reaching to inflict pain. Those eyes just stared.

The mother frantically tried to paw at the brick wall to escape, anything to get her away from this monster.

"What a sweet little child." A female voice said from above. Iris clung to the wall using all four claws and used one of her tails to swipe the baby from the mother.

The mother angrily tried to grab her child back, but in vain. "my child!"

Iris shoved her to the ground with another tail.

"She's mine now. Along with your unborn." She smirked, staring into the mother's eyes with silver ones.

she placed her hand over the child's face and pulled the life right out of it in two seconds. "Such potent souls..."

Mephiles then picked up the praying mom and ripped right into her, feeling the blood thicken on his claws. It was almost to good. "I thank you for your contribution."

"Wait Mephy! I still have to reap." Iris said, tossing aside the dead child.

"I wasn't gonna kill her, promise." He crossed his fingers.

"Uh huh really?" Iris said, placing her mouth over the mother's stomach. "This may hurt."

"W-why?" muttered the mother, as she slowly lost her life's light.

"Because.." Mephiles started to respond, "The preyget picked off by the predators. It's the natural balance of things."

Iris then stole the life of her second child and pulled her mouth away from the now- corpse.

"Pity you didn't get to finish her." She frowned.

"It's ok the night is young." He said. "more mortals are out clubbing and such nonsense."

"let's be a part of that nonsense! Woo!" Iris said as she pulled Mephiles away to continue hunting.

_**THE NEXT MORNING...**_

Sonic awoke to the horrible sights being played on his television. He turned up the volume and listened to the death count. Ten people had been slaughered yesterday in alleyways and night clubs and neither him nor shadow caught the person yet again. Not alot of criminals lived in the city, he and shadow put them in jail. But they never caught the phantom killer. Sonic was troubled.

Iris and Mephiles lay on the hillside overlooking the city, hand in hand. They decided to watch the sun rise for whatever reason and purring softely.

"Want to see their horrified faces?" Iris asked between purrs, fanning Mephiles with her wings.

"Why the hell not?" Mephiles chuckled and picked her up. They wizzed through the shadows untill approaching two black and blue hedgehogs.

"Good god." Shadow said. "These unknown assholes are becoming a serious threat."

"What make you think there are more than one this time?" Sonic asked, observing the bodies for only as long as neccesary.

"Because, there were never victims like THIS before." Shadow said as he picked up a pale, glass eyed child.

Sonic threw up.

"Are you ok?" Shadow asked, rubbing Sonic's back.

"I'm f-fine shadow." Sonic replied, wiping his mouth. "Got any water?"

"No. sorry."

"Anyways, this looks more supernatural rather than uh, _common before_." Sonic stated.

They both got shivers down thier quills.

"Maybe...uh god...Mephiles?"

"He's definatley a possibilty but where does he live? We need some answers." Shadow said, stomping the ground in anger. "I'm tired of these damn dead ends."

"I wonder why it took them so long to consider me a threat?" Mephiles whispered to himself.

"The library's demonolgy books should tell us something about this kind of thing. I'll head there while you check with Tails on the Mephiles issue." Shadow said as he spin dashed away.

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Sonic said as he rolled away to Tail's house.

The couple walked out of the shadows and started to ponder a plan on how to deal with the two hedgehogs.


	5. Chapter 5: Twisted Tales

Iris and Mephiles wandered back to the cave and went over their plan.

"So you'll invite them in, if the want to, I hide the furniture to not raise suspicions, and be a hostess. Make sure you act like your grand self and I'll talk when asked" Iris said, shoving the furniture behind a false wall where tons of other skeletons were tucked away in.

"You plan every detail, don't you?" Mephiles asked, smoothing her hand.

"Um yeah it's kinda critical to pull this off as flawlessly as possible. I can maybe use my innocence as an alibi if I have to."

"mmm..I like when you think ahead. One of us has to. i'd worry about Shadow rather than Sonic though. He's...quite different." M said.

"Well were not exactly normal anyways so." She said, winking at him. "but don't under estimate Sonic either, he probably isn't as dumb as he appears, for his sake anyway."

He nodded and sat down with her, waiting for their guests.

_**With Sonic...**_

Sonic met Tails outside his little house, painting his newest invention, the Barracuda, an underwater battle sub.

"Hey Sonic!" Tails said, as he excitedly waved his paint brush. "What's up?"

"Tails I need ya." sonic said, twisting his gloved hands.

"Sure but why so nervous?" The little fox said, sliding down the latter.

"I need you to help me locate Mephiles lair..."

Tails flattened his ears against his head, "Uh, why?"

Sonic stared into the distance. "Me and Shadow have some questions."

"alright i'll see what i can do. don't stress on it man." Tails said as he rushed to his lab, seeing what he can make to help them on their demon hunting trip.

Sonic lay outside his friend's house for an hour while reflecting to himself.

_Mephiles. The most disturbing guy I have ever met. to meet him on his turf, sounds like suicide. but it must be done._sonic shivered.

He remembered that all too easily how Mephiles had killed him, spearing him right through with his darkness lance, trapping him in a limbo-like state, while he watched his friends cry...

sonic rose up from the ground when Tails reappered with a spiffy new device.

"Neat. What's it do?" Sonic's smile returing to his face.

"It tracks down huge amounts of dark energy in certain spots and can seach for them even as deep as 400 feet in the earth! In case he does live down that far."

"Awesome bud. hook it up and let's pick shadow up from the library."

"Let's do this!"

_**AT THE LIBRARY**_

"another useless book. well shit." shadow said, tossing it aside. "half of these goddamn things are in Latin anyways."

Picking up the last book, he saw it had interesting red groves in some sort of symbol device on front. It read_Demon Lifestyles and behaviors._

"Just fricking maybe this is it."

shadow opened it and the first few pages listed demon according to last to first rank.

"Where the hell is Mephiles in here." he mumbled to himself, scanning the lists for low and medium demons. He was shocked when he found the name Mephiles the Dark in the top ten most powerful. a crude sketch of Mephiles in semi-crystal form was next to his title.

"Mephiles the Dark. although a man-made demon, Mephiles is extremly powerful and dangerous. usually accompanied by the stench of death, he loves bringing pain upon all he sees. He is very manipulative and will use your words against you." shadow read aloud.

"This is just a general description so I should search more."

the rest of the book was on mating, feeding, and possesion rituals. not really what he was looking for but read them anways.

"wait...was it a ritual? the killings? Were the victim's suppossed to be slashed up in some sort of pattern before being sacrificed?" shadow asked himself, so many questions started to take form. "damn."

shadow took the book as tails and sonic in the Tornado came by and picked him up.

"any luck shadow?" Sonic asked, pointing at the book.

"I have more questions then answers, so no not really." he said, crossing his arms over his chest in thought.

"hmmm...'

"woah the readings are off the charts!" Tails squeaked, watching the needle as if it was having a seizure. "he's definatly around here somewhere. If I could see through this darkness, i could land."

"Were on it bud!" Sonic exclaimed as he and Shadow jumped off of the plane and spun in the air, trying to clear the darkness.

"Oh humor them Meph." Iris said, waving her hands at the patheic duo spinning like crazy.

as soon as Mephiles parted the darkness, Tails landed right outside the cave enterance.

"can i stay here sonic?" Tails asked looking fearful.

sonic nodded as he and shadow walked to the foreboading cave, getting tingles on the back of their necks.

Mephiles snarled from the opening.

the two hedgehogs stopped and looked at the monster before them.

"We just came to ask questions.' sonic said, raising his hands in submission. He nudged shadow to do the same. he rolled his eyes and id the same.

"you know I hate surveys, and your on my territory." He said through growls, glaring.

"it'll just be a few minutes." sonic said, walking slowly forward.

"fine. just don't touch anything." Mephiles gestured them in.

mephiles herded them inside while Iris decide to listen to some jams, unaware they were already inside.

all three looked at her like "WTF?" but then sonic began to chuckle. at least his girlfriend had a personality. shadow tapped her on the shoulder.

"Oh damn!" she jumped, looking at the three, headphones around her neck. "i'm sorry I wasn't expecting anyone."

"Hey again." Sonic and shadow said.

"Hi. now i feel silly." She said, smiling shaking their hands.

Sonic smiled as he saw she was actually friendly while shadow just watched.

"mind if we ask you and Mephiles some questions?"

"I don't mind," she said, staking her place by Mephiles, rubbing his leg under the table. "do you guys want something to drink?"

sonic was about to nod when shadow hit him with his elbow and shook his head no.

"have you heard about the recent killings in golden city?" Sonic looked at both of them. They nodded yes.

"what were you two doing last night?" Shadow asked, scrutinizing their faces.

"We were here, spending the night together." Iris told him.

"That's about all." Mephiles added, feeling slightly happy by Iris' touch.

"you better tell us everything." shadow glared. "Leave nothing out.'

"Can't you inference when we say we spent the night together?" iris said, tilting her head.

"Uh...oh." shadow stammered. "sorry but I couldn't."

sonic blushed slightly. _what a weird image. Oh god the hell am i picturing for?"_

"so you've never killed anybody...recently at least?"

"nope." They answered in unison.

"I don't believe a word of this bull shit that your saying."shadow stated, now fully pissed that they weren't saying the truth. 'You probably did some demonic ritual and shit."

"sorry to burst your bubble but, were not that old school." Iris said, flicking her scorpion tails.

"huh, like I believe that." shadow smirked. "I know it was you two i can feel it."

"hold up bitch, I am not in this and neither is mephiles." iris said. "are you accussing us based on this book's "evidence," or your own opinions about demons?"

"both", shadow said.

"leave" mephiles commanded. starting to get ticked off at shadows attitude towards iris.

"no" shadow said frowning. "don't command me what to do."

"Or what?" Mephiles challenged, "you'll hurt me? Pathetic fool."

shadow sprang up from his seat and let his fists of fury fly as mephiles blocked with crystal shields. they continued fighting as Iris and sonic talked on the side lines about their lives n stuff. Iris began her plan of deception while mephiles slammed shadow into a bubbling darkness. shadow countered with choas control and broke off one of Mephiles crystalline quills. Mephiles howled in pain.

"Excuse me real quick," Iris said as she placed her hand on Shadows back, bringing a sense of overwhelming sickness upon him.

Shadow wailed and fell to the floor as he noticed small cracks in his back where iris had touched him. He lay on the floor curled up in pain, the sickess becoming stronger.

Sonic jumped up in alarm as Iris raised a finger at him. "let him suffer some longer."

shadow lay on the floor wriggling in pain as it slowly subsided and a few cracks had dissappeared.

"what the fuck did you do to me?!" He screamed.

"Attack Mephiles again and you'll find out exactly what I did", she said blocking him from Mephiles with her stone-like wings.

shadow reeled back and grabbed a curious sonic as he left the den of the two demons, waving Tails to fly off.


	6. Chapter 6: Deepest Sleep

Iris tenderly lay Mephiles on the feathery bed, kissing his hands as one of his quill stumps bled.

"Are you alright?" She asked, combing his other quills back, aware of the bleeding black stump.

"I'm alright." He replied, trying to get back up. "That asshole got another thing coming though if he thinks.."

Iris softley kisses his muzzle so he stops yammering on. "you push yourself too hard." She scolded, tapping his nose.

"I feel so weak, how could that have just happened?!" He snarled, getting frustrated at the thought of that cocky hedgehog ripping out a quill.

"Mephiles you are anything but weak. your one of the most powerful people I know. you weren't ready for that type of confrontation yet."

"i still feel fucking pathetic." He sighed, quill stump already clotting itself up.

She carefully slid beside him and rubbed his arm in comfort, kissing his cheeks as she did so. So they lay in silence for a bit untill Mephiles asked,

"Why do you continue to stay be me when you are so powerful by yourself? It's not like you need me."

"I need you. You are my Other. That's just the way the cookie crumbles, I guess. You don't really conciously choose who to stick by and abandon, it's one of those life's mysteries crap." Iris said. smiling as she continued to to rub down his neck and torso.

"I love you so much, words can't even express the feelings I have towards you." He said, as he pressed her into the fluffy down, sending feathers in flurry around them both.

"Then show me how much you love me, Mephiles the Dark." Iris said, as the contact of each other's bodies washed away their temporary worries.

Later in the evening, Iris sat at the window seal, thinking of how little time she actually had in order to secure their places as rulers of the world in order to actually maintain some respect. She made descisions with herself the best plan of action to take while Mephiles roamed around Golden City, taking in all that existed. After some time, a small village appered from what seemed like green waves as hillsides. Interested, he hopped from straw rooftop to rooftop, observing the activity below.

_It looks like a page from a storybook. Cobblestone streets, dim lamps, and quiant little shops. How cute._He sarcastically thought. _Maybe an elf lives down the street._

He continued stalking the town, watching some clerks make sales, children roaming the playground, and elderly couples relaxing by the pond. He almost felt at... ease. almost. As he approched a shop window, he saw a gorgeous black ruffled dress with music notes woven onto the fabric, a small onyx type lace choker paired with it. ^^!

"I know a certain lady who would like this." Mephiles said as he crept into the store through a small crack in the wall. the shop keeper lay asleep on a chair, right besides even more wonderful goodies.

_Oh how could I not?_Mephiles asked himself. _It's just a wonderful oppurtunity._

as the shop keeper slept, he pretty much took every piece of jewlry in the store, either to sell for a good servant for them, or give to his love. As he snuck all the good stuff out, he left an I.O.U NEVER note tacked to the guys chair.

"That's what you get when you sleep on the job."

_**Back to Iris...**_

Iris set up a large cracked mirror in the center of the room as she stratgically set black candles around the lair. she tenderly took out a small but potent jar of her favorite perfume, Iris scented of course. She sprayed it around the mirror and a ghost like portal appered within the mirror.

Grinning evilly she commanded, "Show me Shadow and his friends."

The mirror, obeying her of course, showed her all the slumber friends. Each fragment of mirror represeting a person and their dreams. She began to hum an ancient lullaby as the Iris scented swirls crept into each person's body, sealing them in a coma-like dream state. She continued to do the same with the entirety of the population of the surrounding towns and cities, summoning mirrors from the mercury like flames she possesed.

_Let them slumber for eternity..._

**End of part 1**


	7. Chapter 7: Promising Beginnings

Iris watched as the heroes slept, making sure they stayed blissfully ignorant to the thought the were trapped. Sonic ran through endless worlds, Tails won several medals for his robots, Shadow spending time with a young Maria, and even egghead himself creating Eggmanland. Yes, they are quite unaware.

She felt slightly happy at how they enjoyed being stuck in dreamland. It would be much easier now to start creating their kingdom. She broke apart her and Mephiles' crystals into small fragments then planted them into the lava stone ground outside. although nothing on the top world grew in the stuff, all kinds of things in the Flame Core could. Before she knew it she had already planted everywhere in Mephiles' territory.

_Once they grow big enough, they can be collected and made into a great palace. He'd love this idea!_

She felt satisfied with the progress she'd made already.

Mephiles' knew it was Iris breaking his crystals. He knew her aura inside and out and understood what she was doing as he felt his power creep into the soil, reaching to sustain the growing crystals. He felt the air around him grow quiet, unnaturally quiet. She was definately up to something. He peered in the village windows before leaving and saw that she had actually enough power to seal them in their sleep. Knowing that now he didn't have to sneak anymore, he hummed his way home carring sacks of stolen loot.

"Oh you spoil me so much Mephy!" She giddily yelled as she held him tight and gave him a big smootch. Picking up the gold and silver jewlry and putting on in front of her vanity.

"Take as much as you want. i was gonna sell the rest for slaves...I mean servants."

"Slaves, servants, who cares?" She laughed "Don't worry I'll give you your birthday gift soon."

"Oh don't even remind me how long I've been around." he grumbled, not even sure why she still remebered it.

"The day you were...born...was the best day for me!"

"Is the whole world asleep, or just here?" He asked, trying to remember when his birthday actually ment something to him.

"Just the locals which means no interference. Get possible problems out the way sooner that later. tomorrow the crystals should be full grown and that will give me enough juice to do so." she said, purring softely into his chest.

Mephiles purred back, making the surrounding crystals come to life with light.

"Your so amazing," she sighed, breathing in his scent.

"You'll make an amazing queen" He purred back, holding her close while they wasted the remaining night cooing at each other.

"Tommorrow the world. This I promise."

TRANSITION

As the rays of the new sun fell across the ground, all the crystals had grown to full 26 foot height. Sparkling purples and blues littered the soil, looking like something out of a treasure hunter's dream. Mephiles and Iris had rarely seen the sun at full force and squinted hard when they arose from the cave.

Surprised at how bright the glowing orb actually was, they stood there in the blinding light and tried to see why it was mortals liked it so. It was warm yeah, especially good for the cold-blooded demons they were, but that was all they saw out of it. They began to scowl at it instead. Mephiles decided it would be best to blot out the sky for as long as possible, and gathered up huge curtains of darkness to shroud away the light. A new reddish black sky took place over the blue.

"That's better. Warm, but no cursed light." He said aloud, nodding his head in approval. "The sky looks better too."

"Now that we have even greater power, I can finally make the entire world trapped in sleep."

She set up hundreds of thousands of mirrors and cast several rituals to seal the final deal. Mephiles started to spread his darkness across the lands, killing everything it touched. Whole forests began to rot, the sleepind flickies skin melted to the bone, and buildings looked decrepid and abandoned. He made sure though not to kill anyone inside as their souls would be needed later. He felt a certain sense of joy as he watched everything in sight perish.

He then proceded to bring forth lava from the ground to make it even more homey and the soil ripe for growing. He spent a couple hours looking over his handiwork and finallizing details. One thing he had learned from Iris was not to rush but check everything twice. Sighing with delight, he dark burst all the way home.

Iris had put up hundreds of thousands of mirrors by the time Mephiles came back, the air drenched in the sickly sweet smell of the fragrance. Even though Mephy wasn't too fond of the overwhelming smell he was just too happy to complain that much. He watched her finish her thing and reclined againt a warped tree. He was grateful they got this far without grief.

"Do you wanna help me hook people onto folleys and feeding tubes?" Iris asked, bringing up tons of chests of medical equipment out of nowhere.

"Why go through the trouble?" He cocked his head.

"Because if we don't take care of their physical needs they'll die sooner than we want." She simply stated. "Could you live without Choas?"

"Good point."

So it took a pretty long time to set up everyone on life support so Mephiles decided to summon some gargoyle-like servants to watch over houses when they were done. Then after all the basics were out of the way they started with the fun stuff, designing their palace.

It took days of work and help from even more servants but in the end the result was a massive, sinister lair only for the them. A huge door led to a grand enterance room and several moving halls and staircases. The whole place was definately decorated like only the best lived there. It had a variety of fabrics like silk and velvet, diamond chandeliers, silver candelabras and furtiture, and gold trim along walls. It towered past the clouds and had thousands of rooms filled with portals to different dimensions and planets just incase they grew tired of this one and wanted to rule another. One of the most elaborate rooms had to be the throne room.

A wide open room with grand obsidiajn pillars, delicate embroidered tapestries and rugs, victorian paintings portraying famine and plagues. Two carved hovering thrones pulsating with evil power, just waiting for the self proclaimed king and queen to sit down as the rulers of the world. Their world.


	8. Chapter 8: Hell on Earth

Recommended couple theme song to listen to: Rein of the Dark by Adrian Von Ziegler

Mephiles and Iris walked hand in hand up the isle to where their thrones sat. He crowned Iris first, taking her crown into his hands. He gently placed a corsican ram skull (with huge horns that were silver tipped and had all kinds of gemstones hanging off of them) onto her head. He then helped her into a ruffled sweetheart neckilne black dress with silver embroidery and a long train. Iris tried to hold back her tears as she placed Mephiles' sinister looking crystal crown onto his head, raven feathers along the bottom.

"It's purfect." He purred as he put on his cape of flowing lava and brought her into a sweet yet deep kiss.

A now crying Iris kissed back while their servants, soliders, and slaves all over the world bowed down before their masters and cheered.

Now that Iris and Mephy had the whole world to themselves, it was now a good time to open up Hell and free devotees. In their newfound royal clothes, they floated to a large open area nearby. Joining hands, they collected up their power as the earth began to shake. an enormous earthquake left mile wide cracks in the earth, splitting it in two. Anything around fell into the vortex, vanishing within Hell's boundry's.

The vortex grew bigger and curious demonic faces peered up into the top world. Iris decided to lure the soul eating demons out by scattering some spirt energy around the opening. Like sharks to a fresh kill, they spilled out of the Flame Core and hungrily chased the pieces down. Mephiles took the negative energy that accumulated in the air and gathered it into a huge ball of screaming dark choas. even more demons ran out of the portal as the ball surged at the feeding frenzy. Before the gates had closed, they had amassed a good 2,000 followers.

Then they started to sort out the courts. The seven rare females Iris automatically pulled out of the group and deemed nobles. She then chose a group of strong and cute common demons who were put through trials to test their worth. Then Mephiles began his brutal trials against the rest of the men. The group that impressed him the most were to bo leaders of the war factions and lead his crystalline army. After the trials about 600 demons were left standing, the rest were dead or dying.

The king and queen were then picked up by a few strong men and carried back to the castle while the queen's noble women socialized and told her how generous she was. Iris told them all they would had lavish clothes while Mephiles promised a good quality life. The remaining demons, deemed unworthy, hung their heads in shame as they stole the fading power of the fallen, hoping to prove their worth again.

As the huge palace doors opened, the lesser demons stared in awe at the sights before them. Never have they seen such a lavish or gigantic place. Some stopped dead in their tracks while others touched the precious metals and woods. All couldn't have hoped for such a grand lifeas this.

"Go ahead and pick your rooms, all but one is locked and thats ours. we'll meet in the garden once your done." Iris stated, fixing the rings on her fingers.

"Thank you masters" the court said as they excitedly ran to explore the place.

After they were all settled and dressed properly, they met with their masters outside in the grand garden. Mephiles and Iris walked arm in arm as they explained the whole situation to their new crew. Unlike Mephiles, Iris enjoyed some forms of life and made a wonderful garden. toparies sheared to bizzare art forms, moonflowers, different colors of iris', and all kinds of carnivorous plants. An infinity pool made of silver lay next to an extremly hot watered hot tub. Iris raced Mephiles through the maze, braided flowers into her maidens' fur, and took a dip in the pool with Mephiles as a harp and lute were heard in the background.

The queen loved to swim and did so speedily with tricks to amuse herself. the king soon got jealous of the fun and joined in, freezing up as soon as he realized how deep the water water was. Iris giggled and swam beside him, helping find his fins. By the time night fell on this third day of this domination, they had already slipped into the hot tub while the servants handed them champagne and made sure the water temperature was to their liking. They kept each other company and made love in the waters all night, finally reaping their long awaited rewards of saftey, having the whole world at their disposal.

What they didn't know however was that a young girl rabbit began to toss and turn in her sleep, almost on the verge of waking up. Her chao along side her opened his eyes.


	9. Chapter 9: A Guardian in Disguise

Cream awoke to the rambunctious chao jumping up and down on her tummy, giggling as he did so.

"Hello cheese! did you sleep well?" Cream asked in her sweet voice, holding the chao close.

"Chao!" The blue chao responded, getting frustraited with the small tubes in himself.

"What are these things?" Cream asked, finding herself hooked up as well.

"Chao?" Cheese responded again finally getting free while liquids spilled out of the dissconnected tubes, staining the bed sheets. The little chao then helped cream get free as they hopped off the bed and wandered to her mother's room. As they peered in, they noticed two gargoyle monsters filling and emptying machines connected to her sleeping mother.

"Mommy!" cream yelled as she and the chao bravely attacked the hideous creature. The monsters screeched and huffed out to full height, glaring down and about to attack. Iris saw this in a mirror placed in the grand hall and teleported to where the girl was. by the time the two servants swung down their heavy claws, crystalline scorpion tails had blocked the blows. iris must have given one scary look because the two flinched and backed away, wimpering.

"What's going on here?" Iris asked with a sweet venom to the two servants, bowing before her clumsily.

the two pointed to the cowering girl and her chao, trying to save themselves the embarrassment. Iris looked down and the rabbit and the chao.

"Are you two alright?" She asked, a flicker of kindness in her eyes.

"W-Were fine thank you." cream managed to say, letting go of Cheese.

Iris tried to make herself as non-threatining as possible and introduced herself.

"I am Irisatine the Vain but please, call me Iris." She said as she crouched down to Cream's level and shook her hand. "How would you and your friend like to stay with me for awhile, i'll explain the situation then."

"Sure. I'm Cream and this is Cheese." She said curtsying as Cheese flew over to Iris with a slightly scared yet curious expression.

"He's so cute. Hello you two."

The little chao perched atop Iris' head and snuggled into her quills. Her muzzle went up as she smiled.

"do you mind if you two wait in the other room? I need to understand why they attacked you."

"Ok we won't go anywhere." cream said as she picked up an upset Cheese from Iris' head. When they left, she made sure the door was closed before she whipped around back to the gargoyles.

"Now, since only the mother remains in this house, there's no need for the both of you now is there? she asked darkly, seeing which one would panic the most.

They both looked at each other, fearful of what the queen would do to one of them. One shifted slighly out of discomfort of those evil eyes.

Iris began to slowly circle the two servants, like a predator would do to prey to herd them into a corner. She then grasped the one that had shifted with her claws and deep cracks appeared in his skin. The creature struggled in fear, knowing full well that it would be killed. The other just watched and couldn't help his comrad in the slightest. Iris slowly crushed him to dust.

"I suggest you keep a close eye on the mother this time. you don't want Mephiles having to come and 'talk' with you later, do you?" She said calmly, smoothing his ear with her terrified gargoyle quickly nodded and returned to the bedside to finish taking care of Cream's mom.

"Ok Cream let's get going. I'm sure you'll love the place." Iris picked up cream and placed her around her shoulders. "hold on now, okay?"

Cream clung to Iris while Cheese held Cream's ears as Iris took off in a huge levating burst across the ground.

"Watch out Iris!" Cream warned whenever a giant lava lake and waterfall appered before them.

"I got this." Iris said as she moved her tails to the side while her wings expanded. It was actually a short distance so she glided across instead of flying. Cream and Cheese enjoyed themselves as they had never been close to lava before. They arrived in front of the palace in a moments notice.

"Are you a queen?" Cream asked as the approached the insanly tall upwards castle.

"I am and king Mephiles is inside." She said as the doors opened, revealing her maidens and servants, happy to see her. "Let's give you a tour and a room. Don't want to get lost."

'Ok Miss Queen Iris Ma'am." the little rabbit smiled as they walked hand in claw through the halls to find a perfect temporary room.


	10. Chapter 10: A Heart That Beats

Iris kept a close eye on Cream and cheese the rest of the day. After she had told Cream that an unknown gas had caused the people to fall asleep, Cream had wanted to help her wake them up. Iris had explained that she couldn't because it was too dangerous and that she was doing everything in her power to wake them up.

Cream had bought that and went on her own to play. Of course, Iris had set some ground rules first. Number one, stay away from her and Mephiles' bedroom, two stay away from the deadly plants in the garden, and three don't bother Mephiles unless he says wasn't quite sure what would happen if Cream did talk or even brush up against him, but she knew he wouldn't feel warm fuzzies. Cream wandered over to her after some time, wondering why she was thinking so hard.

"Hi Cream, what's up?" She asked, running her claws through her quills thoughtfully.

"Can we eat now? I'm getting hungry." She said as Cheese grabbed his tummy.

"Of course. come in while I browse."

_Oh no I don't have any food here._Iris thought as she was wondering what to do.

_Maybe I can stock up in town. I'll have to start a proper garden as well._

She ran through town as quickly as possible and took whatever food there was. She also watched a few shows on food prepariation as well.

_This is why souls are eaten raw._

After scavenging around several houses, she rushed back to the palace and constructed a makeshift kitchen. It took her a few hours to figure out what to do but in the end she managed a lasagne and a bowl of salad.

"Ok Cream this should be it." Iris said, placing the food on a granet table. the orange bunny and chao hopped onto a chair and ate.

"Are you going to eat Miss Iris?" Cream asked, already plating food for her.

"No thanks dear. I don't really eat food." She responded, sitting across from the young girl.

"What do you do then? How are you not hungry all the time?"

"I feed off of the essence of living matter."

"Oh...what does it taste like?"

"Very...fresh. Energizing really. If I'm lucky it will taste sweet."

"Does it hurt the things you take it from?"

Iris thought about how many people she's killed by just feeding alone. By now it's in the thousands. She knew it hurt them because they died, but lying is the best option with Cream.

"No it doesn't hurt them. It's easily replaced within a couple days."

"Oh that's good." Cream said, smiling as she carried her dishes back to the kitchen.

"You don't have to do that Cream just call for the servants. You can use them, too." She said as she pressed a button and a chime was heard. A male demon appeared and took the dishes, going into the kitchen to clean up.

Cream shrugged and settled next to the crystal fireplace, Cheese curled up by her side. Then Mephiles walked in and wasn't too pleased seeing this pathetic creature inside of his castle. He shot a look at Iris and hissed out, "What do you think your doing? Bringing this thing inside.."

"What's the matter Mephy? Why so testy?" She asked, claws clinking against the table.

"You know how much I hate sonic and all his damnable friends. why would you bring one here?!"

"You need to calm down, alright? How much damage could a mortal child due to the all-powerful Mephiles, hm?" She asked, a slight irratated look in her eyes.

"I still don't like it. When will she leave?"

"Whenever I or she feels like she can. But get used to her for now." she stated cooley.

He just stared at her for a bit, in shock she just told him off but he should have known better. He should have approached this at a better angle.

"I'm sorry I'm snippy It's just weird having her here." Using a claw to pet her cheek.

She huffed and took his hand, smoothing it.

Mephiles smiled and watched Cream fall asleep, snuggled up and warm. This girl didn't know how lucky she was to have Iris to take her in.

_She is kind of cute...in a strange, sickly sweet way. Hey don't you viewers look at me like that!_


	11. Chapter 11: Studies of Evil

_(A month into world domination, Iris and Cream are in the garden feeding the man-eating venus flytraps. Cream now knows how to protect herself and is proving to be a worthy accomplice for Iris. She decides it's time for her to come to the side of evil and learn dark magic.)_

"Cream, can you come with me?" Iris says as she finishes up feeding her plants their supper.

"Sure Iris just let me wash my hands." Cream replies, running her hands under the garden pump.

Iris was surprised the first time she sent Cream into the garden to feed her flowers, that she wasn't eaten by the carnivorous ones. They actually really liked her, letting her pet their leaves and talk to them.

_she might have a hidden gift of darkness, as well as light..._Iris thought, wondering what exactly her next move would be. She soon decided to teach her at least some basic spells and such.

Cream held onto Iris' hand as they walked back into the palace and she was taken into one of the locked libraries.

"I think it's time for you to embrace your gift." Iris stated as she waved her hand over the door and the heavy locks fell off. A red seeping fog coming from the library.

Cream backed away slightly out of fear of the mysterious room and hid behind Iris for comfort.

"It's ok Cream nothing will hurt you." Iris said, bringing up her muzzle into a smile. "There are tons of books inside that I think would give you a good basic understanding of dark magic."

"Dark...magic?" The little rabbit questioned out of fear and curiousity.

"Yes. This is the part of your gift I can help you with."

"What's the other part?"

Iris hissed through her teeth and responded, "light.."

"Oh. But isn't dark magic hurtful to people?" Cream questioned, not really sure when evil ever was helpful.

"There are different ways to use each type of magic, depending on your preference. But believe me, others will not hesitate to hurt you or even kill you." She said, frowning. "You must fight back and make them suffer."

Cream flattened her ears against her head. "But but Sonic and Shadow say.."

"Forget what those two say they fill your head with sugar coated lies. The world is not made for people to be innocent in anymore, it is cruel and merciless. Everyone will try to hurt you for what they think is justice, when in the end it always come back to corruption."

Cream thought on this for awhile. Sure she knew people could be mean but want to kill her, why? What was to gain? She whimpered as she thought of her mother. Had she deceived her, too?

"But it's okay now Cream, your with me and I'll show you how to get back at them. show them how you've blossemed into something more powerful." Iris smirked evily while her back was turned.

"M-mother...my F-friends... why? why must they do this to me?" Cream whispered shakily to herself, concerning her chao.

"Chao?"

"What!?" She snapped, full of anger towards those who thought the loved her the most. "Leave me alone!"

"Chao!" The little thing yelled as it flew down the hall.

"I will learn evil magic, I will make them pay for the things they've done!" Cream exclaimed as she smashed her little fist against the wall. "Teach me..."

"Gladly. Come here sweet heart." Iris said as she rocked Cream back and forth while balancing on her tails.

Mephiles watched this out of curiousity in the shadows and laughed manically. "Oh Iris, I see you've learned some of my deception skills. Well pulled through." He clapped silently as his shadowminions sat around him. "I might just like this Cream afterall."


	12. Chapter 12: The Apprenticeship

Cream was way ahead of schedule on her lessons and potions brewing. Everyday she replaced playtime with working on her skills. Cream never knew how interesting the library was before. It had walls of shelves filled with all kinds of herbs and preserved parts. Huge vats on the floor connected to all kinds of strange machines, syringes and beakers of all sizes and materials, and the lab part of the library itself was made for the best procedures. Books on all kinds of brewing and casting lay on the table, all opened to different sections as Cream studied and practiced the dark arts. Iris was almost done teaching her what she knew but her best bet was on Mephiles, if he wanted to show her anything at all.

Cream kept a steady hand as she poured a mixture of arsenic and belladonna into a tube over a gold burner. She added the last touches of ginger and rainwater and had made yet another potion of concealment. She had been practicing on one potion at a time and was satisfied with the results. Whilst carefully packing up, her little chao had sat on the table and yawned, looking at her expectantly. Cream gave a light hearted laugh and tickled Cheese's tummy. The creature giggled and threw up a fit as soon as it could take no more.

Little cartoon hearts floated around the two, happy that they were together and worried about themselves. Cream placed Cheese around her shoulders and wandered down the hall, nowhere to go particulary. Soon they happened to wander by Mephiles' and Iris' bedroom. Cream decided she'd knock, just to see if she'd get a response. Gently rapping on the oak door sent echos into the eerily silent crystal corridors. To her surprise, Mephiles appered. His crown was ever so slightly crooked on his head and still wore his nightcape about him.

"Yes, Cream?" He answered gently yet stern.

"I was wondering if I could talk to Iris about future lessons?"

"Of course, come in."

The door swung out before her as fragrance oils greeted her nose. Not only was their bedroom huge but something out of a fantasy. The wallpaper moved with glowing blue moths and grass blowing in an imaginary breeze, the silver wardrobes shone like they'd been recently polished, the king size canopy bed was covered in wonderfully soft fur throws, and they even had part of a volcano as replacement of a fireplace. Mephiles escorted her over to where Iris was sitting at her vanity in the bathroom. The sickly sweet smell of Iris perfume wafted through the air as she approached Iris, sitting pretty infront of her violet crystal vanity, replacing the diamonds on her nails.

Something wasn't right. Where had Cream seen this fog like stuff before? As her eyes wandered to Iris face, she'd accidentaly caught a glimpse in the mirror. Her words caught in her throught as she saw large cracks over Iris' body, small, serrated teeth in a visable mouth, and eyes that reflected tormented faces crying for release. Cream dropped to her knees as her chao stopped mid-flight. Before she knew it, Mephiles had caught her with his darkness as she looked up one final time. The look on Mephiles...oh god...oh god! Make it go away! Let this be a dream! She fainted from it all, now feeling like a helpless little deer who had quite willingly walked into a wolf den. Only this...was **much**worse.


	13. Chapter 13: Tough Decisions

Cream started with a jolt and wriggled her bound limbs pinned against the crystal wall. She recollected her last memory and knew they must have been keeping her here if she tried to escape. Which she really wanted to do. She sighed and thought of ways to escape the creepy castle. She shivered as she felt a strange tingle go up her spine, blood froze cold. She felt their eyes watching, knowing that she'd awoken.

_Just let them serve out their twisted punishment and leave me be._

Cream cried softely, waiting for some kind of lashings. Nothing happened.

"Hello?" She whispered waveringly. Silence. A few minutes later, a deep voice spoke.

"Cream"

She swallowed hard at the sound of his velvety voice.

_Mephiles_

"I was wondering when you'd come to." He said as he materialized out of the squirming goo that covered the foor.

"Were not here to hurt you, we just want to offer you some choices."

"Ok" was all she managed to squeek out without being caught in his glowing gaze. "Is Iris here too?"

"I'm here." Iris said as her icy cold hand rested on Cream's shoulder.

"How could you? First you win me over, I think you actually look out for me, and then just toy with me."

Iris sighed and honestly, she did feel a bit of guilt. But the evil started to stir inside of her, giving her sadistic thoughts on what to do with the trembling girl she touched.

_I could just kill her now and rip out her throught. No...I couldn't do that. The last shreds of my mortals lie with her. One day though, my madness will overtake me._

She crossed her arms promptly and looked her in the eyes. Cream peered into them and feared she'd see the faces again.

"I shouldn't have hid the truth from you, that was wrong. So I'll say it all now as straightforwardly as I can. I cast the rituals to keep everyone suspended in their dreams. Mephiles and I were just sick and tired of always having to scrape our meals here and there without being hunted down. So I decide hey, fuck all those guys, let's create a whole kingdom where we can be safe and do as we please. Mephiles spreads his darkness and kills every insignificant thing around. Who am I to stop him? I watch as he enjoys himself and grows stronger. It's the first time I've seen him truely overjoyed since...his closest family is destroyed by your friends. We are free for the first time and I fully enjoy feasting upon these damned souls."

Cream just stares at the dastardly duo out of shock at just how cruel they are, but how hard their fight to survive has been. A tale told by the wicked of heart is a tale not so wicked at all.

"The guy who died was...Iblis?"

"Iblis..." Mephiles stated sadly. "my brother...my other half...I managed to escape at the last second but he, did not. Sonic, Silver, and Shadow made him weak and Sonic just blew out his life...like he was nothing...nothing..." Semi-crystalline claws dug into the black goo, sending shrill cries from his minions.

It was the most bone chilling wail Cream ever heard.

"He was all I had! I felt so empty...I still do..."

"Mephiles..you will never be alone again beloved. You should have told me you felt this alone, I would have stayed by you. To know now how I've let you go on like this...How I didn't see...makes me wonder why you never told me." Iris frowned, feeling slightly confused why he'd want to wallow away. "I **never**want you to be in pain of any sorts."

"I know I'm sorry...and please, don't feel guilt." He said, grabbing her hands and lowering his ears. "He... would have liked you, you know."

"And I'm sure I would have liked him. If you ever feel alone again, come to me and I'll hold you for as long as you like. We have forever and more."

A single black tear ran down Mephiles' cheek and pattered into the dark pool beneith him. Cream watched in awe as the liquid lit up with intense rainbow colors, reflecting all of Mephiles' emotions at once. The two lovers lovingly held each other in an emotional embrace and closed their eyes.

_Even thought they might be hellish murderers, they still have deep feelings for one another and have hearts capable of love._Cream thought, finally freeing herself from the wall.

This unintentional exchange of public emotions and life stories had persuaded Cream to stay.


	14. Chapter 14: Realm of Dreams

_Sonic's Dream_

Sonic enjoyed himself throughoutly. What a wonderful picnic Cream's mother, Vanilla had planned! Chili dogs were what he got of course, Amy ate fresh fruits like watermelon, Cream got salad, and Knuckles and Tails had hotdogs. The sun was bright and the air smelled of freshly rained on grass. Everyone had a grand time as they chatted and little groups of chao came to visit. Sonic sighed as he lay in the meadow, watching the insects buzz around him. Life was good. He tilted his head up to the sun with a smug look on his face, greeting the sun as the wind rushed by.

_Summer always was my favorite season. New life and new beginnings. Heh, now I'm a poet._He thought to himself as he stretched his arms.

He continued daydreaming about the perfect weather as Tails and Knuckles could be heared having a heated frisbee battle in the background. It was perfect, indeed.

_Shadow's Dream_

He laughed. He had actually laughed! He hadn't laughed heck even properly smiled in a long time. But now that he was with Maria, he couldn't stop. He knew the real Mariahas been dead for fifty years, but even if this time was fabricated, he chesished these moments. He wanted to not wake up, really. To stay here with his loved friend was all he ever wanted. Time spent dreaming of these memories had been so blissful. He was in the ARK while it was still in comission, when everyone was still alive. This was his home, these people were his family.

"Come on shadow, look out the window with me." Maria said, a bright smile rose naturally on her face while golden curls fell into her eyes.

"I'm coming."

_Maria.._

_Tail's Dream_

"Whew!" The young kitsune exhaled as he finished yet another grand robot. After winning five gold medals, he couldn't stop coming up with so many wonderful designs. All the ideas filled his head to the brim and he loved it! Never, he thought, had he worked so hard.

"I should tell the president his my energy effecient factories are ready! I'm sure he'll love them, oh and the locals too!" Tails said energetically, finally glad that he was now the main hero instead of his buddy. Sure he loved Sonic, it's just he wanted the lime light for awhile.

_It's about time I prove myself a true hero too!_

Amy's Dream

(I am soooo sorry but she'll be important later, promise!)

Sonic was to pick her up at nine. Sonic! Her wonderful heroic dream boat! She squeed with delight for the tenth time as she rummaged through her walk in closet. Oh what to wear! After some serious thought, she chose a form-fitting hot pink dress paired with some gold sandals and flower headband. It was only five but your never too early to prepare!

She couldn't wait! She lay everthing out nice and neat on her pink ruffled bed. Wiggling her toes on the whie shag carpeting, she decided to plop down and watch the homemade romance movie Rouge had given her. How she forced Knuckles into being in it she did not know.

_Probably bribed him with the Master Emerald. Knowing her she swiped it for that exact reason._

Pulling her legs to her chest, she hugged her knees and waited till her date.

Back in reality, silver and green eyes watched them sleep soundly as dark thoughts twisted in their heads.


	15. Chapter 15: Realm of Nightmares

Shadow knew something wasn't right.

"How long have i been asleep for? Even though i'm not complaining it feels like an unnaturally long time." He pondered to himself, crossing his arms over his chest in vegatation.

He gazed out of one of the side windows that lined the hallway in the ARK. Flashing lights blinked overhead as he heard the automatic kitchen door open, revealing young Maria holding a lunch tray. shadow looked at her as she approached him out of his peripheral vision. another meteor flew past as streams of gold and green trialed behind it. Earth glew with a vibrance today. Crimson eyes examined the lunch tray and mentally he rejected it. Maria gave him a concerned look as she sat crossed legged from him. They sat in quiet companionship untill shadow asked,

"Maria, you know your just a part of this dream, right?"

Maria shifted and gave a small smile. "Dream?"

"yes. I already know you've been gone for quite awhile. I'm just wondering when I'll wake up. I know time doesn't really exist here, but.."

"Shadow, don't worry about such things. Enjoy me actually being here first instead of when I'm gone."

"I suppose." He said as he took a sip of his fruit drink. "What flavour is this?" He questioned, licking his lips from a filmy powder.

"That's not important. What is imporatant is that you stay here with me. Never leave."

"Maria?" Shadow shot up, but quickly fell to the floor. It felt like something was...crushing his heart.

"You left me! Now you'll forever be haunted by your guilt! I hate you!" Maria yelled, as an old bullet wound appeared on her chest, rust colored old blood around the hole. "I hate you..."

"M-Mar!" shadow choked as he fell dazed to the floor.

_I hate you Shadow._**_We_**_hate you._

The voices echoed in the now abandoned ARK, resonating off the cracked and splitting floors and walls. Shadow panickling looked around and saw himself alone in front of the now blurry window, leading into nothingness. He speed skated down the hall as quickly as possible, calling for Maria. The empty silence was filled with fading screams of the past inhabitants. then he saw her. One of the large once testing rooms with Maria laying on the floor, Sonic standing next to her with a pistol in his hand.

"your too slow." Sonic said in a crackled voice as he spun around and gave a look of pure evil, who stood there with rage building up.

"you were always too slow."

Sonic said as he pointed the gun to shadow's head. Then, he pulled the trigger...

_**To Tail's...**_

tails was polishing his medals and humming a tune sonic had taught him once. He was in his lab of course and was just about to lock up for the night. He wanted to go out and celebrate on his recent success. He heard a patter behind him and saw a robot clicked on.

"funny. I thought I turned them all off."

Walking over to the robot, he went to switch it off. Before he knew it, the others had grabbed him from behind and tugged roughly at his fur.

"What's going on?!" He yelled in terror, trying to kick himself free. It was no use the robots already had him pinned to the wall, metal spikes were driven through his arms.

"since you tried to improve the world, we thought we'd take it upon ourselves to improve you." the robots answered in the same monotonious voice.

the first robot pried open his mouth and slid a rubber tube down inside of him. the machine on the other end started to pump oil into tails. He gagged and felt nausausus as it flowed inside of him, coming out of his nose and spilling out of his mouth.

"let's take a look inside to make sure you work properly." another robot said as it used a scapel to cut Tail's abdomen in half. a third robot came and used a wrench and twisted his now exposed intestines, letting half of them hang out and drop to the floor. The oil stopped pumping as Tails writhed in agony, crying for himself to die. then once the robots had stopped, they used a welding torch to melt his skin back together. the smell was horrendous and his freshly burned skin bubbled in small pockets. He vomitted up the toxic substances and shook, yearning for someone to save him.

_**To Amy...**_

Amy sat at her white vanity, primping her quills into curls for the date. she like the vintage vanity and the way she looked. All she had to do was wait for sonic. She tried on different smiles was she waited. standing before her mirror, she tried shocked, shy, and even beaming! The last smile she barely recognized. He lips were pursed and she had on plum lipstick instead of her cheery pink. She slowly started to reveal her teeth and saw she had a mouth full of sharp curved ones. Gasping, she blinked and stepped back. Her reflection kept smiling back at her, now swaying in a confusing motion.

"Hello Amy. I'm sorry to inform you but your date had been cancelled." The reflection said, dragging a clawed hand across the mirror, making scraping sounds as she did so.

amy stood her ground but couldn't help but feel freaked out.

"um, reflections don't talk."

"I assure you i'm no reflection." The Amy image said as it shuddered into Iris.

Amy squinted her eyes as the purple porcupine came into focus.

"who are you and why are you in my house?"

"Don't you worry about me and this isn't your house."

"last time I checked it was."

"Well, check again."

now her pretty pink room was was totally gray as the walls peeled inward like wood chips, wood cracking from above.

"What did you do to my room?! you'll get it now!" Amy said, pulling out her hammer.

"How very brazen of you. How very stupid." iris said, grabbing her leg from behind and giving it a satisfying snap. amy screamed as she was flung against the ceiling. She hit her head on the concrete and felt a slight dampness there. she stumbled over her bedsheets which then proceeded to wrap her into a make shift cocoon.

"Let me help you out there girl." Iris smirked as she made a spiked corset appear and tied it tightly around amy's waist. she pulled and pulled untill amy felt her organs shift inside her and squeeze together. Feeling like she could quite literally pop. Sonic walked in and smiled at her.

"Hey ames!"

"Sonic help!" amy pleaded. Sonic would save her! She knew it!

"did I miss the show?" He asked in a dark velvety voice.

"kinda late but Tails held me up too, so... want to do the honors?"

"No I'm saving my fun for someone very dear to me. someone who should have stayed dead years ago." The fake sonic said as he looked back to Amy.

"By the way, red suits you amy." he said, two thumbs up.

Amy fainted from the extreme pressure from inside of her as she heard her ribs brake and splinter. She saw red...


	16. Chapter 15: Realm of Nightmares 2

Sonic had noticed the sky had turned ashen gray as blue lightning streaked ahead. He looked at the shy in a scared manner and wondered what had happened. The grass and flowers had died and his friends simply faded into nothingness. A blazing dark mass fell from the sky and almost hit sonic right on, but he moved out of the way just in time.

"Hold still so I can smash in your skull!" Mephiles growled demonically, in semi-dark mass form.

"Heh, that one way to say hi." Sonic said smugly as he started running up a nearby tree.

"Come back her so I can kill you!" The demon hissed out, following in pursuit. A trial of smoke and crackling lightning behind him.

Sonic doubled back and punched Mephiles in the face, flinging the demon into a meadow. Mephiles wasn't fazed as he flipped in mid-air, landing gracefully on the ground like a cat. He created his zombie copies and they connected hands and circled Sonic as he landed in the meadow. They started to spin in confusing circles. Sonic looked around the ring of Mephileses and was picking out the one to attack first. Within seconds the ring grew closer together and the stench of corpses wafted through the still air. Sonic gagged as the smell of rotten flesh became overwhelming and attacked the ring of Mephiles, all were made of darkness. Within a split second, the real Mephiles had sunk his claws right into Sonics' spine, paralyzing him.

"Now Iris! Do it!"

Iris, back in Sonics' bedroom, heard her lover's call in her mind. She used Sonics' small outlet of fear to tap into his soul and pry it out. She pulled and tugged at the pulsating light until every piece had been sealed within a shard of void crystal. Sonic life was now in the palm of her hand, trapped within the darkness which there was no return. His body lay lifeless and cold on his blue bed. Iris chuckled and impaled the body on a crystal pole, a new addition to the outside decor. Mephiles watched as Sonics' dream all too quickly vanished before him. He smiled inwardly to himself.

_Now I will destroy his being for all time!_

Mephiles laughed and laughed as the evil inside of hit threw fits of delight. The one who had killed his brother was now his to do whatever he pleased.

_For you, Iblis..._

Shadow bashed against the ARK, trying to get out before psycho Maria finds him.

"This would be better if I had my powers! This realm must have stripped me of them, or someone." He said as he finally made a single dent in the metal wall. "i need to find something that can help me get this metal off."

So he explored a couple of nearby rooms, no bigger than a closet and hid as soon as he heard footfalls outside the room.

"My shadow isn't hide and seek fun? No doubt I'll find you." Maria said as she walked down the hallway, twitching like she had some virus, the head of a scientist in her one hand and in her right, a large knife.

Shadow came out of hiding as soon as the footsteps had gone and began hitting the wall with a dent again. But what he didn't know was that Maria had hid in a nearby vent and crawled to shadow with ease as he had made much noise. Shadow quickly pulled back the metal and slid through the tight space, jumping into anti-gravity. Maria had popped up at the last second and managed to scrape his arm. He drifted, weightless in the starry sky until he hit something. He felt that the invisible object had a flat surface and climbed ontop of what seemed to be a path. A scenic street took form as stone walkways and ethereal purple trees lined the sidewalks.

"what is this?" He spoke into the quiet wind as faint outlines of humans and mobians drifted aimlessly.

The leaves fell from the trees and disappeared before they reached the ground. He saw that not only was there a road leading to his dream, but to several others. the one that caught his attention was the one on the level above him with a young fox nailed to a wall. He recognized Tails immediately and jumped into his dream to help. The figures didn't even notice he was there and continued in a depressed manner to stalk the silent streets. shadow pried the nails out of Tail's arms as Tails sobbed into his fur.

"shadow! thank you so much! The robots-the robots.." He tried to tell shadow his story as he patted his back.

"Let's go get the others."

So the boys found Amy and had to carry her because she was broken into two pieces. Then the quest for sonic ensued. Iris watched them for awhile out of amusement till they reached her control room. Iris saw the three insignificant dreamers walk up to her. She was sitting among her enslaved souls, doomed to serve her as they had already died in their sleep. She sat upon them like a throne as they supported her heavy tails and wings. Taking long drags out of a hookah like device, the souls connected to the contraption through a tank screamed.

"I would have made them tidy up a bit if a knew company was coming." iris said as she petted a spirit's head. It cringed.

"Where is Sonic you devil!" Amy yelled as her top half shook it's fists.

"Oh well he's dead."

Amy's face fell. "No lies!"

"No, the truth. Mephiles is probably ending his existence right now. but..." Iris thought as a scheme entered her head. "You might be able to to say, a trade?"

They stared at her while she lazily took another drag. "so? Anyone volunteering to switch places?"

"If one of us is worthy, you'll bring sonic back?"

"Of course."

"if we die?"

"Then you die. And Sonic will remain dead and gone." Iris said, fanning her wings out slightly.

_Two birds with one stone. Amy and Tails are too fragile to volunteer, but shadow will. Marvelous. Then both Sonic and Shadow will be dead. Marvelous! _

shadow took a few steps forward and gave her a death stare. "I'll save faker."

"Great! Now let's see how well you sell your soul." Iris said as a toothy grin spread across her face.

An area formed behind them as demons and beasts watched in the bleachers as shadow began his trials. Mephiles joined Iris and sat down beside her, servants letting him sit on them. He stroked his night wolf's fur and threw it an arm.

"come for a bit of sport have you, Mephiles?" Iris asked as Mephiles continued to pet his dark beasts.

"If Shadows to die, I will most certainly watch his demise." He said in that smooth dark voice she loved to hear.

They drank and smoked as Shadow was fighting below, he had no idea what he had agreed to. Never make a deal with a demon.


	17. Chapter 16: Smoke and Mirrors

Shadow fought relentlessly. Hordes of minions, soldiers, and dark beasts kept coming out of the ground. The demons in the bleachers threw rocks at him, enjoying his misery. They'd stare at him with their big, emotionless eyes. Amy and Tails were on the sidelines, pushed to the ground and bound together so they wouldn't escape. From time to time the mustered up the strength to give him encouraging smiles. He had to win, but knew he was wearing thin quickly. His chaos blasts became weaker without any rest. How many more must he defeat? He rammed into yet another soldier, sending him clear across the arena. Another bruise started to form on his leg. He sat on the ground for a few seconds, trying to pull together some sort of a plan. He knew the devilish duo wouldn't stop hounding him with foes until he was dead. Maybe he could trick them into believing he **had** been killed if he tried hard enough. He'd have to to save his own life. He got up and knew exactly what he'd do.

"Chaos spear!" He yelled, throwing yellow bolts of energy at a crystal warrior.

Naturally, it bounced off the enemy and hit him right in the chest. It didn't kill Shadow but it hurt all the same. He fell down and pretended to die.

"No! Sonic...Maria I-I failed you." He exclaimed as he slammed his fist into the dirt and "died". He tried to breathe as shallow and spaced out as possible.

Mephiles, who had taken a puff from Iris' hookah, was gently nudged by Iris.

"Mephy look." She pointed happily at the crumpled Shadow on the ground. "He's finally dead."

"I missed it?! At least he's not in the way anymore." Mephiles said, drifting down to the fallen Shadow. Iris followed him cautiously. "I guess you can clear the arena now Iris."

Iris put a finger to her lips as she walked up to Shadow. Her ears perked up at the slight sound of a heartbeat. She also sensed his spirit was still dwelling inside of him. He wasn't dead jsut pretending.

"you sneaky bastard." She huffed out quietly. "I gave you a chance to save your friend and you think you can cut corners? 'Fraid not Pet." Iris whispered into Shadow's ear as his heart rate sped up.

He felt himself being picked up by a back quill.

"Wake uuuuup." Mephiles said in a flat voice as he violently shook Shadow and spun him around so he could see the hatred in his eyes. Shadow jerked suddenly and kicked Mephiles' side and Iris' chest.

Mephiles stumbled backward and Iris' hissed out a remark in pain. Shadow, somehow realizing the mirrors were what connected them to the dream world, took the small round one from Iris' necklace. He held it high over his head and smashed it against the ground, silver slivers scattered across the dirt. Everything became silent and started to fade and distort. Shadow woke up violently from his dream and shot up in bed sweating. He freaked out for a minute before realizing he was in his house. He pulled out the tubing and kicked gargoyle ass. Then he decide to take a shower because he had to admit, smelled like puke. His dim room had red painted walls, GUN bed sheets in black camouflage print, and collections of metal cds and knife displays on the walls.

"I missed my house admittedly." He said as he popped in A7x cd and ran the shower.

"Fuck I still have these bruises." He said aloud as he looked at his abused body and rubbed his arm. "I should check on the others when I'm done. They should have woken up as well."

As Shadow put on his rocket shoes he ran outside and observed his surroundings. Everything looked broken and diseased. The people inside their houses were alive but entranced in a deep slumber as well. He made sure that when he checked up on Sonics' friends that they didn't see him or otherwise they'd follow. Rushing to the castle was a journey of itself. Demons roamed the streets either talking or fighting in some long lost language. some challenged him. All had their asses handed to them. Lava covered the dead earth and the heat was unbearable. His quest was about to come to a stop as he sauntered up to the entrance.

_**At The Castle...**_

Mephiles and Iris had kicked into battle mode. They shouted commands to the army factions and gave orders to the section leaders. Mephiles hissed and growled in anger, becoming crystalline again, readying his powers for the fight. Iris made sure the court protected Cream, her bedroom, and the entrances at all costs. Then she and Mephiles flew on top of a castle's spire and she summoned all sorts of hellish creatures from the nightmare realms. Talons and vicious mouths full of teeth adorned the flying creatures, circling the castle in blood rage. Waiting to kill. Mephiles' soldiers marched below with heavy metal armour adding to their defense. They wielded huge scythes and rapiers, suitable for slicing through thick metal. The air was still as if it knew something was about to happen. Shadow drew closer and saw his welcoming committee at the front gates.

As he ran up to the palace of madness, he saw that there were thousands of soldiers lined up in rows and snarling , winged beasts perched atop the spiraling spires. The he looked up on the highest points of the castle and made out two figures smirking at him. Amy and Tails had snuck up beside him and all were ready to fight the evil that had claimed their world. The world would find salvation in the bloodshed to come. Sonic would come back. Mephiles raised his hand and held it in the air. He brought it down in one swipe and exclaimed,

"Obliterate them all!"

The army surged forward...


	18. Chapter 1: Emptiness (Original)

The pondering demon sat in his own secluded corner in a run down bar. As he sat with his palm to his face, he wondered who would provide him with his fun tonight. This is where Mephiles hangs out to regain his strenght, feeding off the vulernable who enter. while he stares into nothingness... the soft pat of the door closing catches his attention. Mephiles toxic green eyes slowly rotated towards the approaching mortal. He was a middle aged dog of about average height, odd red fur, and hazel eyes. Mephiles undead stare lingered over his prey, observing his aura's weaknesses. Knowing the dog would soon be drunk, he waited for a half hour untill the tipsy kicked into him. He knew he wouldn't put up a fight when intoxicated. soon, the dog man stumbled over chairs and mumbled gibberish as he wiped his mouth. As the bartender went to the back to restock the goods, Mephiles made his move. Like a carefully though out chess piece, he moved across and circled his prey. ripe for the reaping.

_When did I ever sink this low...? Ah, well. I need to regain my full powers before I plan to kill is the only way._

The shadowed demon pulled his victim close to his body and rushed back into the darkest corner, teleporting them to his lair. Due to the sudden change in pressure on the dog man's body, he felt nauseated and vomitted on Mephiles. He lowly growled and said, "not again.." Mephiles walked over to his bathing pool and did a quick wash up. He was quite used to being thrown up upon by now. "damn mortals don't know how to hold their liquor" he says to himself. It took him quite alot of practice to not automatically snap their necks as soon as they even touched him. the piles of bones in the corners of his cave were proof of that. Getting down to business, he slashed unrelentlessly at the cowering creature laying on the ground. The mortal cried out in pain as Mephiles brought pain with every claw mark that he made. He relished the hell that he brought apon his prey, and now lived for it. he continued half way into the night, filling his lust for pain with his newest play thing.

_mmm...delicious...oh the choas!_

sensing his prey near death, he grabbed the back of his head and slammed it violently against the slippery cave floor, splattering blood against the blue crystalline walls. "Well, that was fun" he breathed contentedly. "but I also hunger for, something else." He wondered. His walls has always captured the dying screams of his victims and he always played them everynight like a lullaby. but yet, this darkness that surrounded him put him slightly on edge. Something big is up. something... he can't quite put his finger on. his ears perk up as he hears crazy laughter coming from his wasteland.

(the wasteland meph refers to is the burned and lava field surrounding around his home. He made it to look like where he is orginally from..the Flame Core) (hell)


	19. Chapter 17: Transformations

Mephiles' soldiers marched up to shadow, revealing their hidden lances and posing to strike. A smirking shadow thought it too easy. With his physique and now present powers, he crushed a couple hundred minions with ease to rubble. Tails and Amy started to chase the flying beasts away from shadow so he could focus on the destruction of the army. Amy raised her hammer and slammed it on the top of a beasts skull, instantaneously killing it. The giant primal beast fell and Amy smiled.

"Disgusting filth." Iris remarked as she noticed Mephile's extreme look of concentration observing shadow. A look of murderous thoughts crossed his face. He peered slightly at Iris.

"All heroes are disgusting filth. Fighting for what is "good", please."

Iris summoned more beasts but now they had metal plates covering their necks and heads. Iris also noted that Shadow was attacking Mephile's minions at the joints, easily breaking them before they could attack. Iris told him this and he nodded. A dark pool covered the fighting ground, causing shadow and friends to climb to higher grounds. New tank like soldiers rose from the darkness and had studded crystalline armour. The friends, who had taken their attention off the skies, were now focused on the power houses in front of them. Seeing a slight opening, Iris beckoned a beast to come to her. It did and she took a small amount of poison stored in her tails and rubbed it on it's talons.

It went up silently behind Tails and swooped him up, scratching his shoulder and embedding a talon. Shadow quickly killed the thing but Iris had carried out her plan. She chuckled slightly at the slow death he was to suffer. Mephiles gave a curious look but she just shrugged and winked. They continued to watch the fight below, both throwing in observations on how to exactly improve the minions. Iris wondered how long this would go on for. clinking her claws against the railing, slightly bored.

"Have they lost their edge?" She said aloud in frustration.

"Shadows just holding back." Mephiles remarked. "We'll get involved soon enough."

"What do you mean holding back?" Iris questioned just as Shadow took off his inhibitor rings.

Shadow shot right through the army and headed directly towards Mephiles. But Mephy was prepared!

Iris jumped out of the way, Tails flying up with Amy to confront her. Tails threw a screwdriver and hit Iris' head. Iris, unfazed, grabbed Tail's wrist and twisted it. Tails yipped in pain and tears stung his eyes. Iris didn't even smile as she mocked him, "What's the matter little mortal? In pain?"

"Leave Tails alone psycho bitch!" Amy yelled as she charged up for a big swing by her mighty hammer. Iris grabbed her back as soon as she rushed by.

"Such children's play. You can provide more entertainment than this." Iris said as she overwhelmed Amy with that horrible sickness. Amy became paralyzed as her skin felt like it was being pricked by needles. Her skin broke apart and she got a sense of dread.

"Ah I know what's fitting here. Having your beloved watch you die!" she said as she whipped out the crystal, a distressed Sonic looking at her from within. Amy lay still, on the verge of death.

"Don't die on me yet. I have something special for you."

Iris flew to the highest spire and began to sing in a opera-like voice.

(Insert: Daylight's End from League of Legends)

Her creatures gathered round and listened to the suicide song. Amy felt a new surge of power as she took long strides toward the cliff. She peered down.

"No Amy! Don't listen to IT! Don't jump!" Sonic yelled at Amy. No use. "Amy!"

Amy jumped off and hit the ground below with a sickening splat...

Shadow was pinned to the ground by Mephiles who held him tightly in his grasp.

"Let me go you vile son of a bitch!" Shadow demanded.

"Oh my dear Shadow, I'll only let you go when your life slips into the wind and your blood turns cold." Mephiles replied as he dug his crystalline knee into Shadow's chest, trying to crush his sternum.

"Fuck off!"

"Such hateful words, puppet."

Shadow felt the tightness get worse and as a last minute attempt, used chaos control to teleport away from Mephiles.

"Where did you go Shadow?" He said in a slow manner. Shadow crept up behind him and blasted him into Iris.

"Time for an ass beating." Shadow said, cracking his fists and hitting Iris first over and over again. He kicked her ass alright, or did he?

Mephiles, pissed off to the extreme, lunged at shadow and slit his throat with a claw. He licked Shadow's blood off of his finger. Shadow choked up blood. Tails rushed to Shadow and wrapped his neck in thick cloth from his pocket.

(Insert: Disturbia by Rihanna)

"Thank you Shadow...for releasing my inner self!" Iris said as she shook with unbridled anger.

Her eyes grew large and sunk into her head, claws and teeth becoming wild and unruly, a hideous demoness with an elongated serpentine body and scales that shone like faceted amethysts. A demonic and evil grin plastered across her face. She expanded her boney crystalline wings and slapped Shadow and Tails off of the castle. She glared strait at Mephiles who had no idea that she had another form.

Iris could no longer talk due to her Primal Dark Iris form, nudged Mephiles with a talon and chuffed. Shooting up into the air, she screeched something awful.

"What in the hell?!" Shadow exclaimed before Iris had almost hit him with her spiked scorpion tails. Tails began to feel weak and had to sit down on the sidelines.

"You can do it Shadow!" He cheered weakly. raising a fist.

Shadow nodded a tried throwing chaos spears, doing chaos blasts, and everything else.

"I'm going to need chaos emeralds to make this a fair fight." He looked up at the towering tyrant. "But there's no time!"

Iris laughed insanely as she had gotten an insane amount of raw energy from the millions of souls she was draining at the second. Feeling a surge of blood lust, she tore apart her own creatures and flung them to the side.

_She's mad with power and the drive to destroy. How can I join her? The chaos emeralds of course!_ He thought as he slowly brought all seven chaos emeralds forth. His dark powers surging as he felt the pure joy of evil being released in himself, his dark powers corrupted the emeralds as they turned dark. A strong force pulled him towards Iris.

"What? I can...?" Mephiles asked himself in a surprised tone. "Me and Iris can...?"

He was jerked suddenly by iris' side and they stared to merge and form one being. Mephile's new serpentine head popped up by Iris'. She looked as surprised as he did. At least now they could talk using telepathy.

_Um Mephiles..._

_Yes?_

_What in Mobius did you do?_

_I have no clue_

They stared at one another for a bit until Shadow's rapid punches on their arm caught their attention. He then proceeded to try and use the emeralds to become super, to no avail.

Mephiles quickly opened his huge serrated mouth and gobbled up Shadow. Iris couldn't help but laugh or try to laugh as it sounded like nails on a chalk board.

_A mere snack for you now huh?_

_I: Does our new combined form make us a god?_

_M: If you want. We are powerful enough._

_I: Cool. But uh, are we stuck together for good? I love you and all but this takes 'never leave your side' to a new level._

_M: We'll figure this out. But for now enjoy being a powerful god._

Tails gawked in disbelief. Shadow had been eaten by this Irisatine/Mephiles hybrid. He carefully got up and saw a crying Sonic looking at him through the hovering crystal. Sonic had watched Amy die right in front of his face and his buddy needed him. He let the anger build up inside of him and started to turn a dark, navy blue. He didn't want to turn into this again but he had no choice. This was his only option. A black aura surrounded his body...


	20. Chapter 18: Salvation

Sonic gave a dark smirk as he reached forward and violently shook the crystal. Iris looked with wide eyes at the crystal as it trembled and cracked, though still imprisoning Sonic.

_Well shit..._

Hissing through her teeth, she caught Mephiles' attention as his serpentine head swiveled around and watched as Sonic crashed against the crystal.

_You pathetic excuse for a queen! It was supposed to hold him! Your worthless!_ He thought with venom.

Iris, not liking this in the slightest, snarled and dug her huge fangs into the base of Mephiles' neck, crying with pain.

_You will __**not **__speak to me in this manner, __Mephistopheles!_

Mephiles hated being called by his full demon name and so, he retorted back in a cold manner.

_Your no match for me sweetheart. You depend on my powers to give you what you need! Your worthless when on your own!_

_Oh you egotistical imbecile, you give yourself way too much credit. Tell me, who was it that actually gave a shit about you to begin with? That's right, it was me. I was the only one to listen to your petty sorrows! And oh how you whined..._

They continued to fight back and forth, bite, and even cause some deep wounds on one another where their blue blood dripped out. Tail's breathing became labored as he watched the demons fight.

_Huh, even they are subjected to marital issues. _He thought to himself, scratching the back of his gloved hand.

Sonic finally broke through with that last built up homing attack and burst forth, shattering the void crystal.

"Sonic!" Tails choked out with excitement and slurred speech. He felt quite woozy by now and knew something had happened to him in that battle.

Sonic charged at the Mephiris hybrid and snickered evilly as he kicked it across the chest where a half purple and blue pentagram was glowing. Each point of the star held a chaos emerald. The hellish beast tumbled backwards as the two demons now foamed at the mouth.

"Time to complete this exorcism once and for all!" Sonic stated darkly as he painstakingly pried out the emeralds. After all the emeralds had been removed, the great monster fell to the ground, separating into the two beings known as Iris and Mephiles again. Their crowns had fallen off their heads and crashed to the ground, now broken.

Sonic had a deranged look as he held up Mephiles and was about ready to kill him when Cream had come running out the castle.

"Mr. Sonic don't!"

Sonics' dark rage passed by soon after he heard Cream's soft voice.

"Cream." He said as he dropped Mephiles with a thud. He swept her into a warm embrace, grateful that she had survived such an ordeal.

"Mr. Sonic please don't kill Mr. King Mephiles and Mrs. Queen Iris. They might have scared me at first, but they were good to me." The rabbit replied, twisting the hem of her blue crystal dress they had given her. A diamond flower bracelet was also another gift.

"they are not king and queen, at least not anymore. They... didn't hurt you at all?" He asked, astounded.

"A few time I thought they would, but they gave me my own room and clothes and Ms. Queen...Mrs. Iris taught me some interesting things."

Sonic breathed a breath of fresh air as he realized they had taken care of her, god knows why but they did. Although he wasn't too happy with them trying to corrupt her mind.

A giant bulge inside of Mephiles' stomach kicked and punched until it found its way out. That bulge was a recently devoured Shadow, now covered in digestive juices and whatever else is found in a person. (I'll let you picture this.)

"My quills **were **gelled, past tense." He said absentmindedly, clipping his inhibitor rings on.

Sonic, Cream, and Shadow looked down at the two demons lying on top of each other. Thanks to Cream actually wanting them to live, they were spared. Shadow decided to give them a free trip back "home."

The boys simultaneously nodded and using the chaos emeralds, opened a portal that blasted hot air leading into the Flame Core. Throwing them into the portal together, the mortals watched their descent. Mephiles' snake eyes flickered open briefly as he flipped them off and became unconscious again. Iris whispered in a vicious tone that echoed around Hell's walls.

"The seeds of darkness have been planted. soon, our offspring will rise and claim your realm little mortals. In due time... we will arise."

The portal closed and vanished within seconds, leaving nothing but burnt ground to show it existed.

It would be years before the world was returned to its previous splendor. The heroes used the emeralds to resurrect their fallen friends, heal Tail's, and awaken the slumbering Mobians from their dreams. All was at peace, but...

Within the now abandoned crystal palace, three stone eggs were nestled snuggly into the bed sheets in the royal bedroom. The first was made of fire, the second ice, and the last of earth...

_**END**_


End file.
